Age not an issue in this profession

Dew Action Sports Tour - TD Waterhouse Centre, Today-Sunday

To many of the athletes on the Dew Action Sports Tour, competing against 39-year-old Dennis McCoy is like competing against their father.

And he's not the only old timer, just the oldest of them.

The age gap is what makes this competition at the TD Waterhouse Centre this weekend so unique.

This season ending event will determine whether the 2006 Athlete of the Year Award -- worth an extra $25,000 -- goes to 35-year-old Jamie Bestwick, or 16-year-old Ryan Sheckler, who won it in 2005.

FOR THE RECORD - ************ CORRECTION OR CLARIFICATION PUBLISHED OCTOBER 17, 2006 ************The caption with a photograph on Page D11 of Friday's Sports section, accompanying an article about the Dew Action Sports Tour, reported incorrectly the first name of defending champion Bucky Lasek.*********************************************************************************

"It is kind of bizarre when you think about it," said McCoy, who will be competing in the BMX Vert Final today. "I look across the way, and I'm going against guys who weren't even born when I started competing professionally."

The rising star of the Tour is an 11-year-old skateboarder from California named Nyjah Huston. The biggest star today on the Tour is Bucky Lasek, a 33-year-old skateboarder.

The target audience for the Dew Action Tour is younger than in any other professional sport. The athletes making big money in action sports are skipping school to make it work. Yet the 30-something guys mostly still rule.

"The older guys still remember the days when you competed for a T-shirt and bag of goodies," said Bestwick. Bestwick, from Nottingham, England, has been virtually unbeatable in the BMX Vert competition in each of the two seasons on the Tour. And he is heavily favored to win again when the Finals begin today at 5:30 p.m.

Lasek won the 2005 Dew Tour Cup, and he is leading the points race again. Behind him are Sandro Dias, 31, of Brazil, and Bob Burnquist, 29.

Lasek has been skating for 22 years. He doesn't need a real job. His income, from sponsors and competitions, is in the millions. Yet the bumps and bruises, broken bones and ruptured discs, have changed the way he walks. With all the falls he has taken, there are parts of his body that hurt every day.

"The old guys like us are going to be kind of a litmus test to see how long you can last in these sports," said Bestwick. "We really don't know. The young guys are out there trying so many new things. It just motivates you to stay on top. But you know they aren't far behind anymore."

Sheckler, 16, is favored to win the Skateboard Park final on Saturday. He finished first in three of the first four Tour stops this season. He won the Tour Series a year ago.

"I'm just part of the new generation in this sport," he said. "I hope I'm still skating when I'm 33. But really, this isn't just a sport for the young guys. It's like guys going golfing. You can enjoy it when you're really old and you can enjoy it when you're really young. Age really doesn't matter."